Raynors HCA 2019-05
This lot is closed for bidding. Bidding ended on 5/30/2019
Typed Letter written by E.H. Allen on Broncho Motion Picture Co., letterhead, September 4, 1913 to Mrs. Lillian Knight. Noted that Thos. Ince’s name is printed on the letterhead as Vice-President. Mr. Allen advises that Mr. Ince is out of the city and will be for some time ... Thomas Ince died under mysterious circumstances while a party member aboard William Randolph Hearst’s yacht Oneida in 1924. Ince was an independent producer in the early era of silent films, a pioneer who owned vast acreage within Santa Ynez Canyon, which opened onto the Pacific Ocean. The studio was named Inceville. The sprawling studio was also considered the role model upon which later studio systems were based. Within the industry, Ince was considered the father of the western movie making about 800 two-reelers (running time approx. 20 minutes.) After becoming established, Ince left the western in the trail dust and concentrated on dramas. Bronco Films was the production branch at Inceville responsible for the western movies. Since he could answer correspondence for Thomas Ince, the writer of this letter, E.H. Allen was either a personal assistant or a vice president. Besides actors, the studio employed hundreds of men and women to operate the day to day studio operation. Ince died in 1924 while aboard William Randolph Hearst’s yacht the Oneida. The official cause was heart failure, yet there still exists rumors that the yellow journalism mogul Hearst shot Ince who he thought was having an affair with Marion Davies – Hearst’s lover.
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